It's early Thursday morning, December 28, 2006
My wife and I make our way to UT Southwestern, Zale Lipshy Building. We make it there around 6am-ish and I get checked in. Then it's on to the waiting area to listen for my name. I've been to hospital waiting areas quite a few times, but never as the patient! After I give my name the young lady at the desk informs me that someone arrived earlier asking for me. She then pointed to an elderly man who I recognize as one of my co-workers at First Baptist Dallas. An FBD associate pastor was there to pray with me before my surgery. What a surprise to see him there! Now I'm sure that he does this with most church members/faculty, but it was still comforting for him to get up very early in the morning (he beat me there), find out where my surgery was going to be and meet me to pray for a successful surgery!
My mother was there with my wife and I as I was called to the back to prepare for surgery. I changed my arrival clothes to put on the surgical threads which included a cool headpiece and foot covers (don't know the actual names). A couple of nurses came in to check my vitals again and soon after I kissed my wife and mom and laid back on the bed. I got another kiss from my beautiful wife as they rolled me down the hall into the operating room. I was little nervous, but not too much. By this time I feel a strong peace about the whole thing. I can't help but rest on the sovereignty of Almighty God and trust in His mercy as He heard my prayers and the prayers of my wife, mom, and other saints lifting me up! I also began to reflect more on all that the Lord has done for me all my life from the beginning up until this point - and I don't mean just general stuff! My life is filled with grace and mercy, in spite of my foolishness!!! I have far too much to be thankful for!
As I come to a stop in the operating room, I briefly notice a large machine which I find out later that it's the da Vinci (robotic laparoscopic machine). Notice I said briefly - that's the last thing I remember at this point!
The next thing I'm aware of is slowly waking up in the recovery area. Thinking about it now, it seemed like about 10 minutes. Actually it's about 4 hours later! As I slowly and sluggishly open my eyes, listening to the chatter of the nurses around me, the first thought that comes to my mind is: "Oh...I guess they're finished." I then closed my eyes and went back to sleep. I felt very rested and absolutely no pain - praise the LORD!!!
Then, I guess about an hour later, I'm being rolled to my hospital room. I'm quite sluggish but I recognize my wife, mom, sister, neice, and my boss, Lori. By the way, my boss had been there since I was in surgery - I told you that I love my job, right? My co-workers, especially in my department (but not limited to) are my extended family!
I began to be more and more in tune with my body and the state I was in when I noticed the catheter! It wasn't painful at all, just uncomfortable. The doctor told me that I would have a constant feeling of needing to "go" with the catheter in me. He wasn't kidding! Later on, when most of my family left me and the wife, I lifted the covers to check out my scars. I had four small scars (two on each side of my belly) where the cameras and tools were inserted to perform the surgery and one larger scar around the left side of my navel. This is where a vacuum tube was inserted to pull out my prostate. Again, I want to stress the fact that I was in no pain at all! I was also wearing stockings that generated a pulsating vibration to encourage circulation in my legs in order to prevent and blood clotting. A few other doctors and nurses came in and out to check on me to see how I was doing. Some of them were students working on their residency (by the way, if you don't know by now the "UT" stands for University of Texas). One of the guys did something I'll never forget. He unhooked the tube on the catheter from the "container" and inserted a large, clear syringe filled with saline. He said it was to make sure that I didn't have any blood clots in my bladder and urethra. He wasted no time when he said, "This will feel weird." He pushed the saline through the tube connected to me and then pulled in the other direction to remove the saline to reveal the results. He said, "No blood clots. You're looking good!" I said, "Cool." But, when he did that, he was right when he said that it would feel weird! That was probably the weirdest thing I've ever felt! My eyes bulged as I thought, "Whoa!" It didn't hurt, just felt...weird.
Later on they bring me my first meal - good old chicken broth, jello, and juice! Yum. Hey, I just had surgery, so I needed to take it easy. Nothing solid just yet. This was not only for my stomach but also for the stool. One of the prescriptions that I had was a stood softener. Remember, I just had my prostate removed. The prostate sits right below the bladder - on top of the bottom of the lower intestine! Trust me: You don't want to be constipated now!!! I'm in no pain, but that entire area is very, very tender.
One of my old high school buddies, Terry, surprised me with a visit. I hadn't seen him in years. He was told about me by his cousin, Ed, who I told about my condition and upcoming surgery at church a week prior. It was really good to see him. We were like brothers back in the day, even after high school. Then, one of my first cousins, Dwight, stopped by to see me, as well.
Later on, my surgeon, Dr. Claus Roerhborn, stops by to check on me and give me a report on the surgery. I love the way he put it: "It was exquisite!" That was really a blessing to hear. Another younger doctor stopped by who assisted Dr. Roehrborn and told me that one of the reasons the surgery went so great was that my organs were in the right place - almost perfect! Yes, the Lord is gracious!!!!! Then the nurse came in and informed me that I will need to get out of bed and start moving around very soon to keep my circulation in tact. By now it is about 6pm-ish and I'm helped out of bed and into one of the chairs. Minutes later, I notice that I start to get very light-headed, so much so that I feel like I'm about to pass out! This really worries me! I tell my wife this and she buzzes the nurse. They come in and help get me back in bed. The nurse checks my blood pressure and it's really low and that's very odd for me because I have borderline hypertension. My temperature is checked and I'm running a fever of about 104! This scares me but as I lay in the bed, in about 30 minutes to an hour, I slowly begin to get better. Blood pressure rises back up to normal and temperature drops down to the same. This is simply side effects of the anesthesia and doesn't happen again. Later on, I receive another meal, but it's a little more solid this time! And quite good I might add!
The next morning, I begin to slowly get out of bed and walk a bit. I'm not doing too bad if I should say so myself. Again, no pain, just the uncomfortable feeling of the dreaded catheter. By the way, my urine is quite red-ish because of the blood. This is a normal result of surgery. I'm encouraged to drink lots and lots of water which will clear it up. I have no problem with that. They give me one of those 40-ounce hospital cups with the built-in straw. I emptied that thing quite frequently! Before I know it, it's approximately 6pm-ish on December 29 and I'm going home. Yep, you read right! I had the robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy procedure and I'm going home the next evening! I head to the bathroom to get dressed (pajamas and robe), say goodbye to the nurses who provided the best comfort (one of them was from my old neighborhood that I grew up in!), hopped in the wheel chair and headed downstairs to the van. We arrived home safely by the grace of God. I have a two-story home so you can picture me walking sideways up the stairs very carefully.
Let me make it very clear again that I'm very, very thankful to the Lord for His sovereign grace. The surgery was great and now I'm recovering well with no problems. I get myself situated in my bed with my big water cup on my nightstand along with my Bible. As much as I love the Word and the study of theology, I have to admit I don't read it enough. Now's the opportunity to use my recovery time wisely and get into it more than I've done before! But, you know, that's just what the Lord will do. He can put you on your back in order to put you on your face in reverence to Him. I have no excuse not to make valuable time for the study of His Holy Word.
I also take time to enjoy reading other books and watching some of my favorite movies. I love action and sci-fi! My wife told me in the hospital that while I'm at home recovering she'll watch The Lord of the Rings trilogy with me!!! Let me fill you in: Before she said that she didn't want to watch it because she stated "it seems way too violent for me." Now, my wife likes action movies like me, but I guess she has her limits compared to my tastes. I told her many times before that she'll love it and it's more than just fighting - it's a great story and the cinematography is outstanding! It's my favorite movie!!! So much so that I purchased the extended edition set!!! I was excited when she told me that she'd watch it with me. The funny thing is that after each part she exclaimed, "Wow! I can't wait for the next part!" When we finished the whole trilogy (about 5 days later) she said, "That was really good! I want to watch it again!!!" I responded, "I told you you'd love it!"
Did I mention that I love my wife???!!!!! She's so much fun and I'm glad she's in my life!!! She took care of me way better than any nurse could and my super kids did a super job showing daddy some major love! They helped mommy and me with whatever I needed! They're the best!!!
10.05.2007
Part Ten: The Pre-Op
It's the third week in December 2006 - a few days from surgery. It's time for the pre-op! "Pre-operation" for those unfamiliar with the abbreviated term. Now, let me remind you: I've never had to go to the hospital for any type of surgical procedure whatsoever! First, I had to take off my shirt and have the nurse stick numerous wires to my upper torso to give me an EKG. Technology is amazing in this day and age. The machine she used only took approximately a minute to check my vitals. By the grace of God, I checked out fine. I was a little concerned because I know I'm not the healthiest guy on the block. For those who are not familiar with this type of procedure, it's necessary to check your vital signs to make sure that there are no other physical complications going on inside of you. Sometimes, depending on what else may be wrong, the doctor(s) can't operate until other issues are taken care of. I had a co-worker go to the doctor earlier this year to have a hernia removed. When they did his EKG they noticed that a few valves in his heart contained major blockage and instead of hernia surgery he ended up having open-heart surgery! That's why the pre-op is the routine thing to do!
Cynthia and I asked about the anesthesiologist who was recommended as one of the best and we were able to meet with him briefly. I had heard about how most post-surgery patients have symptoms of nausea and headaches because of the anesthesia administered to them during the operation. He explained the reason why is because of the use of medicinal "narcotics" in the anesthesia which he only uses when needed. He rarely uses them and is known for providing one of the most painless experiences in the operating room and post-surgery. We requested him right on the spot and he accepted as he jotted down my name and surgery date.
Now, check this out! As we spoke with the main nurse who would be assisting the surgeon, I asked her a serious question. I asked, "What's the youngest age of men that you've seen come through this hospital to be treated for prostate cancer?" She replied, "35." I know what you're thinking...that's very young, especially when normally it is a concern for men 50 years or older! Remember, I was diagnosed at 41 (no telling how long I've had it). But, 35? Man, that's a shocker! That's why I'm spreading the word and encouraging more guys to get checked - even before the age of 40! Her response stayed on my mind for a long time. It was almost hard to believe.
As the day drew closer and as education concerning my diagnosis increased, I began to lose my fear of surgery through much prayer and with my wife by my side!
Cynthia and I asked about the anesthesiologist who was recommended as one of the best and we were able to meet with him briefly. I had heard about how most post-surgery patients have symptoms of nausea and headaches because of the anesthesia administered to them during the operation. He explained the reason why is because of the use of medicinal "narcotics" in the anesthesia which he only uses when needed. He rarely uses them and is known for providing one of the most painless experiences in the operating room and post-surgery. We requested him right on the spot and he accepted as he jotted down my name and surgery date.
Now, check this out! As we spoke with the main nurse who would be assisting the surgeon, I asked her a serious question. I asked, "What's the youngest age of men that you've seen come through this hospital to be treated for prostate cancer?" She replied, "35." I know what you're thinking...that's very young, especially when normally it is a concern for men 50 years or older! Remember, I was diagnosed at 41 (no telling how long I've had it). But, 35? Man, that's a shocker! That's why I'm spreading the word and encouraging more guys to get checked - even before the age of 40! Her response stayed on my mind for a long time. It was almost hard to believe.
As the day drew closer and as education concerning my diagnosis increased, I began to lose my fear of surgery through much prayer and with my wife by my side!
Part Nine: The Best WIFE In The Whole World!
As the title states - I have the best wife in the whole wide world! You know, many men say that about there wives, and they mean it. But, this is different. I run out of words trying to express how I feel in my heart how much my darling, loving, unselfish, giving, sacrificing, precious, beautiful WIFE means to me!!! Cynthia is for me the poster child of Proverbs 31:10-31! If the phrase "Excellent Wife" was a dictionary term, her face would be in the margin as a visual example.
First of all, getting married to her made a man out of me! I slowly began to grow through much trial and error - my own, of course. I've learned so much from the Lord through her - mainly how irresponsible I've been and how much of a God-ly man I need to be for her because she needs it and deserves it! And let me tell you that I'm far from perfect!
It is because of her I actually have a doctor! Let's be honest -- most men don't like going to the doctor and actually don't go! If a man's left arm is hanging from its socket and bleeding everywhere he'll say that it's alright and that he'll be ok. I've known a few men who will quickly admit that they don't want any doctor cutting on them no matter what's wrong. As much as I'm "almost" like most guys, I think that's very foolish! My wife not only encouraged me to get a doctor and have physicals done, but also encouraged me to get my prostate checked. The first time I had my prostate checked "digitally" I was like, "Whoa, what the heck–!" What an unpleasant experience! But, trying to be responsible, I had to get it done. But, in October 2006 my church held another free prostate screening and with the loving encouragement of my beautiful bride, I went. As I mentioned in an earlier entry, for the first time I had my blood taken for the PSA test. And that's what revealed it!
Now, my wife has been by my side and supported me throughout our marriage, but this time was much deeper! After the biopsy and diagnosis, she spent hours upon hours of time on the internet daily doing research for me, trying to find the best information for treatment, surgical options, nutrition, survival data based on PSA and Gleason scores, and so on! She actually knows more than I do about prostate cancer, as well as nutrition.
I know I sound a bit partial but my wife is the best cook! Cynthia can come up with a complete meal even when I think there's nothing in the fridge or pantry that will make a snack! She loves to cook and it shows. We later began to splurge a bit (as if we have money to do so) and go shopping for healthy, more organic foods - specifically fruits and veggies! It was sometimes a strain on our bank account, but it was worth it! Like I said before, we didn't go straight vegan or even go totally healthy on our meals, but we did make a big shift. My lunches that I took to work, even though always prepared with much love, were a lot healthier! Dinner began to be so much more guiltless!!!
I praise the Lord Jesus for having the best wife in the world who does so much for me and the kids better than anyone else would or could. I can't imagine having anyone else as my wife. God's providence is perfect and so strategic that for me He has perfectly fashioned and graciously given me the wife of my youth!!! I will write more about her later as the events unfold. I'll close this entry with the best statement to end with --- I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH, MRS. STEVEN CRAIG SMITH!!!
First of all, getting married to her made a man out of me! I slowly began to grow through much trial and error - my own, of course. I've learned so much from the Lord through her - mainly how irresponsible I've been and how much of a God-ly man I need to be for her because she needs it and deserves it! And let me tell you that I'm far from perfect!
It is because of her I actually have a doctor! Let's be honest -- most men don't like going to the doctor and actually don't go! If a man's left arm is hanging from its socket and bleeding everywhere he'll say that it's alright and that he'll be ok. I've known a few men who will quickly admit that they don't want any doctor cutting on them no matter what's wrong. As much as I'm "almost" like most guys, I think that's very foolish! My wife not only encouraged me to get a doctor and have physicals done, but also encouraged me to get my prostate checked. The first time I had my prostate checked "digitally" I was like, "Whoa, what the heck–!" What an unpleasant experience! But, trying to be responsible, I had to get it done. But, in October 2006 my church held another free prostate screening and with the loving encouragement of my beautiful bride, I went. As I mentioned in an earlier entry, for the first time I had my blood taken for the PSA test. And that's what revealed it!
Now, my wife has been by my side and supported me throughout our marriage, but this time was much deeper! After the biopsy and diagnosis, she spent hours upon hours of time on the internet daily doing research for me, trying to find the best information for treatment, surgical options, nutrition, survival data based on PSA and Gleason scores, and so on! She actually knows more than I do about prostate cancer, as well as nutrition.
I know I sound a bit partial but my wife is the best cook! Cynthia can come up with a complete meal even when I think there's nothing in the fridge or pantry that will make a snack! She loves to cook and it shows. We later began to splurge a bit (as if we have money to do so) and go shopping for healthy, more organic foods - specifically fruits and veggies! It was sometimes a strain on our bank account, but it was worth it! Like I said before, we didn't go straight vegan or even go totally healthy on our meals, but we did make a big shift. My lunches that I took to work, even though always prepared with much love, were a lot healthier! Dinner began to be so much more guiltless!!!
I praise the Lord Jesus for having the best wife in the world who does so much for me and the kids better than anyone else would or could. I can't imagine having anyone else as my wife. God's providence is perfect and so strategic that for me He has perfectly fashioned and graciously given me the wife of my youth!!! I will write more about her later as the events unfold. I'll close this entry with the best statement to end with --- I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH, MRS. STEVEN CRAIG SMITH!!!
Part Eight: I Love My Job!
By now it's the beginning of December 2006. I'm already surrounded by the prayers of my family, friends of my fellowship, and co-workers. It was at this time the co-workers really expressed their love at a higher level. As many already know, I work for First Baptist Dallas. The staff would meet periodically to go over organizational issues and things involving the church as a whole. This time the plan was to meet and include a time of prayer for yours truly at the end of the meeting. And boy - did they pray for your brother!!! After calling me up to the front of the room, the pastor pulled up a chair and had me sit down in front of everyone. Before I sat down, I asked if everyone even knew what was happening with me and decided to clue them in just in case someone didn't know. I proceeded to explain that "in October I was diagnosed with prostate cancer." I continued to talk about how "the Lord puts many people in your life and sometimes just the right person at the right time - like my wife..." That's when I got choked up! I've got to tell you about that woman, but I'll save her for her own blog entry!
When I finished, everyone got up from their seats, knelt down and surrounded me. Those closest to me put their hands on me and the pastor began to pray! Wow!!! What a fellowship! There's nothing like the sincere prayers of the saints - especially in a time of great need! Now, that's powerful - but that's not all they did. My director, Lori, stood up and explained that many of those, who were able, got together and purchased numerous gift cards from various restaurants and grocery stores, and some even threw in some cash!!! She explained that these gifts would help my wife and make it easy on her the most so that she wouldn't have to cook a lot since she'll be busy taking care of me and the kids! She handed me a gift bag filled with these items and it pretty much took my breath away! I went through the bag thoroughly when I returned to my desk and just praised the Lord!!!
When I got home that night, after putting the kids to bed, I told my wife that I had a surprise for her. I brought her to our sofa in the family room and unloaded the bag on it. We both broke down crying tears of joy in unison! This was just too much love for us to handle!!! We then prayed together in thanksgiving to our great Provider and what He has done for us with these gifts! When I added up the total value of the cards with the cash the total came out to $1300!!! This was totally unexpected and I'm totally undeserving of such gifts! I'm truly amazed at how much the Lord continues to shower me with His grace all my life and more specifically at this time!
Now many believers know that when God blesses, it is for us to be a blessing, not just to keep it all to ourselves. That's the purpose of this blog. But my wife and I decided that it would be good to share our "tangible" blessings with one of her former co-workers who was wrestling with cancer herself. We took a huge chunk of the cash and some of the gift cards and my wife met up with her a few days later to present them to her. You know, being a blessing actually feels better than being blessed!!!
When I finished, everyone got up from their seats, knelt down and surrounded me. Those closest to me put their hands on me and the pastor began to pray! Wow!!! What a fellowship! There's nothing like the sincere prayers of the saints - especially in a time of great need! Now, that's powerful - but that's not all they did. My director, Lori, stood up and explained that many of those, who were able, got together and purchased numerous gift cards from various restaurants and grocery stores, and some even threw in some cash!!! She explained that these gifts would help my wife and make it easy on her the most so that she wouldn't have to cook a lot since she'll be busy taking care of me and the kids! She handed me a gift bag filled with these items and it pretty much took my breath away! I went through the bag thoroughly when I returned to my desk and just praised the Lord!!!
When I got home that night, after putting the kids to bed, I told my wife that I had a surprise for her. I brought her to our sofa in the family room and unloaded the bag on it. We both broke down crying tears of joy in unison! This was just too much love for us to handle!!! We then prayed together in thanksgiving to our great Provider and what He has done for us with these gifts! When I added up the total value of the cards with the cash the total came out to $1300!!! This was totally unexpected and I'm totally undeserving of such gifts! I'm truly amazed at how much the Lord continues to shower me with His grace all my life and more specifically at this time!
Now many believers know that when God blesses, it is for us to be a blessing, not just to keep it all to ourselves. That's the purpose of this blog. But my wife and I decided that it would be good to share our "tangible" blessings with one of her former co-workers who was wrestling with cancer herself. We took a huge chunk of the cash and some of the gift cards and my wife met up with her a few days later to present them to her. You know, being a blessing actually feels better than being blessed!!!
9.25.2007
Part Seven: You are what you eat!
During the time of consistent praying and racking my brain over my condition, my wife and I began to put our focus on another very important subject involving prostate cancer - nutrition! I have to be honest and say that I'm not the healthiest guy at all. I'm 5' 9", somewhat thin with the dreaded "love handles," weighing between 195 - 200 pounds! Based on my height I'm quite overweight. I also have to admit that I have a history of bad eating! There was a time when I would eat nothing but burgers, burgers, more burgers, fries, fried catfish, fried chicken, pizza, pizza, lots of sweets, and more and more burgers! On top of that, I'm not very athletic so there are little to no calories and fat being burned. So, when I think about it more and more, I wasn't really surprised about the cancer and, upon having the "right perspective," I'm thankful that my condition wasn't worse - because it easily could have been!
My wife, already doing tons of internet research on prostate cancer and it's stages and cures, started doing another search on the right foods to eat. (I have to brag on her and say that she is one darn good cook!!!) Actually, I had already slowed way down on the fried foods for about a couple of years so the transition to actually [almost] cutting it out was quite easy. We also increased our intake of green veggies and fruit! Speaking of fruits and veggies, we all know about the benefits of tomatoes, especially for men and the health of their prostates. Tomatoes are a great source of antioxidants. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals which may damage the body's cells. Lycopenes, a type of antioxidant, give off the red color to not only tomatoes, but also watermelon, pink grapefruit, guava, etc. which, when digested, are deposited in the liver, lungs, prostate gland, colon and skin. Another great source of antioxidants is the pomegranate. They are high in Vitamin C and the juice is high in three different types of polyphenols, a potent form of antioxidant. They are even credited with helping in the prevention of cancer and heart disease. And they're delicious!!! When I was a child I learned to chew the meat off of the seed, swallow the juice and spit out the seeds. After all this time I found out just last year (06) that the seeds are edible and a good source of fiber! Pomegranates are usually in season from October through to January.
Now, I'm not a vegan, and I tip my hat to those who go that route! I'm still a carnivore, just a little more cautious with what types of meat I eat and how it's prepared. I've cut out red meat about 90%. I mostly consume baked chicken and fish (tilapia or salmon), sliced turkey and tuna. We are very careful about lunchmeat. The best lunchmeat is the kind without nitrates, a form of preservative that may preserve the food but not your body! They can be very harmful to the lining of your lungs!!! On that note, we spend a lot of our time hunting down and purchasing organic foods: no preservatives, no pesticides - just plain natural! We try to do this with everything - fruits, veggies, meats, jellies, juices, milk and so on. The milk is mainly for the kids. I'm lactose intolerant. So that means soymilk for me - organic as much as possible!
As I type all of this I have to admit that I'm still learning everything. But, I've benefitted a great deal because since my surgery (which I'll get to later) I've lost about 18 - 20 pounds!!! Now I'm in the 175-180 range!!! By the way, not only have I changed what I eat, but also how much, as well. Sometimes I have to push myself from the table or just fix my plate and put all of what's left over in the fridge before I eat! That means no more seconds - or thirds! (sometimes I still get seconds, just not as often as I used to) So you see that nutrition and excercise (so convicting as I type) is highly necessary for our health, brothers! For a healthy prostate and everything else!!!
My wife, already doing tons of internet research on prostate cancer and it's stages and cures, started doing another search on the right foods to eat. (I have to brag on her and say that she is one darn good cook!!!) Actually, I had already slowed way down on the fried foods for about a couple of years so the transition to actually [almost] cutting it out was quite easy. We also increased our intake of green veggies and fruit! Speaking of fruits and veggies, we all know about the benefits of tomatoes, especially for men and the health of their prostates. Tomatoes are a great source of antioxidants. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals which may damage the body's cells. Lycopenes, a type of antioxidant, give off the red color to not only tomatoes, but also watermelon, pink grapefruit, guava, etc. which, when digested, are deposited in the liver, lungs, prostate gland, colon and skin. Another great source of antioxidants is the pomegranate. They are high in Vitamin C and the juice is high in three different types of polyphenols, a potent form of antioxidant. They are even credited with helping in the prevention of cancer and heart disease. And they're delicious!!! When I was a child I learned to chew the meat off of the seed, swallow the juice and spit out the seeds. After all this time I found out just last year (06) that the seeds are edible and a good source of fiber! Pomegranates are usually in season from October through to January.
Now, I'm not a vegan, and I tip my hat to those who go that route! I'm still a carnivore, just a little more cautious with what types of meat I eat and how it's prepared. I've cut out red meat about 90%. I mostly consume baked chicken and fish (tilapia or salmon), sliced turkey and tuna. We are very careful about lunchmeat. The best lunchmeat is the kind without nitrates, a form of preservative that may preserve the food but not your body! They can be very harmful to the lining of your lungs!!! On that note, we spend a lot of our time hunting down and purchasing organic foods: no preservatives, no pesticides - just plain natural! We try to do this with everything - fruits, veggies, meats, jellies, juices, milk and so on. The milk is mainly for the kids. I'm lactose intolerant. So that means soymilk for me - organic as much as possible!
As I type all of this I have to admit that I'm still learning everything. But, I've benefitted a great deal because since my surgery (which I'll get to later) I've lost about 18 - 20 pounds!!! Now I'm in the 175-180 range!!! By the way, not only have I changed what I eat, but also how much, as well. Sometimes I have to push myself from the table or just fix my plate and put all of what's left over in the fridge before I eat! That means no more seconds - or thirds! (sometimes I still get seconds, just not as often as I used to) So you see that nutrition and excercise (so convicting as I type) is highly necessary for our health, brothers! For a healthy prostate and everything else!!!
9.22.2007
Part Six: Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA), Gleason score and surgical options
It was at the very beginning of all of this that I first became acquainted with PSA numbers. As I mentioned before, I first began to have my prostate checked when I was about 35 through free screenings at my church. But this was only the digital exam (finger). It wasn't until 2006 at the age of 41 that I had a blood sample taken to check for the prostate specific antigen, which is a protein produced by the prostate cells. As is already known by many reading this blog, a PSA test is a blood test that's used to measure prostate health. High PSA numbers can be a sign of an enlarging prostate or prostate cancer. Normal levels vary based on age, but it's 0 - 2.0 for African American men, specifically in my age category (late 30s - early 40s). It is more common in African American men than any other race. My PSA at age 41 in October 2006 was 7.47! That's pretty high for my age. But, the good thing is that it was less than 10 which means it's a better chance that the cancer is confined to the prostate. Prostate cancer is known to be a very slow growing form of cancer as long as it's confined. Once it spreads outside the prostate (usually PSA levels higher than 10) it's more aggressive and spreads throughout the body into other organs. This diagnosis always requires more than just prostatectomy. Radiation and sometimes chemotherapy are necessary to slow down the spread of and eradicate cancer.
My diagnosis was in October, but I was able to wait until my surgery which was December 28. That brings me to surgery options. My biopsy urologist was going to be the surgeon at first and he was going to do a radical prostatectomy, which is the standard procedure where the surgeon makes a large incision and does a manual removal of the prostate. This results in a great amount of blood loss and a longer, tougher recovery among other things. But then the providence of God unfolded - again! My wife is a stay-at-home mom and runs a home pre-school. In November for only about 6 - 8 weeks she was watching two daughters of a lady who happened to be a nurse at UT Southwestern here in Dallas. She (the nurse/mother) was informed of my condition and immediately recommended one of the best urologists/surgeons who performs the robotic-assisted laparoscopic procedure. It is performed with slender, fiber-optic tools that only require small incisions in the abdominal wall that allow for less blood loss, shorter hospital stay, faster recovery, and no/minimal use of narcotic medication during the recovery period. That's when we made an appointment to meet with Dr. Claus Roerhborn and I chose to undergo the robotic procedure. There's actually a standard non-robotic laparoscopic procedure which specifically involves making a series of small incisions in the abdomen and manually operating the instruments that allow surgeons to see inside the abdominal area in order to dissect and remove prostate tissue. For the robotic, the surgical robot is called da Vinci ® [Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA] and provides the surgeon with magnified 3D vision and miniature articulating robotic instrumentation. Robotic means that the tools are controlled with (you guessed it) robotic controls rather than with the surgeon's hands alone. Think of it as playing a video game with a controller - but in the operating room!
Studies now make diagnosis and survival probability more predictable with the Prostate Nomogram, which helps physicians and patients decide on the best treatment and which will result in the greatest benefit. After you receive a positive diagnosis for prostate cancer consult with your urologist about the nomogram and Gleason Scoring System, which is used to grade how far prostate tissue is from normal, healthy tissue. Samples taken during your biopsy are taken to a pathology lab where they are viewed under a microscope and tissue samples are graded on a scale of 1 to 5. The number 1 is for cells that look almost normal (slow growing cancer) and 5 is for cells that are least like normal prostate cells. Grades 2 to 4 are in between. My Gleason score was 3+4, which had a positive probability for early detection and survival. For more information and to have access to an online prostate nomogram calculator/prediction tool, visit this page of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and after reading the information, click on "open calculator." You can only benefit from this calculator after being diagnosed with prostate cancer and getting a printout of your biopsy report.
My diagnosis was in October, but I was able to wait until my surgery which was December 28. That brings me to surgery options. My biopsy urologist was going to be the surgeon at first and he was going to do a radical prostatectomy, which is the standard procedure where the surgeon makes a large incision and does a manual removal of the prostate. This results in a great amount of blood loss and a longer, tougher recovery among other things. But then the providence of God unfolded - again! My wife is a stay-at-home mom and runs a home pre-school. In November for only about 6 - 8 weeks she was watching two daughters of a lady who happened to be a nurse at UT Southwestern here in Dallas. She (the nurse/mother) was informed of my condition and immediately recommended one of the best urologists/surgeons who performs the robotic-assisted laparoscopic procedure. It is performed with slender, fiber-optic tools that only require small incisions in the abdominal wall that allow for less blood loss, shorter hospital stay, faster recovery, and no/minimal use of narcotic medication during the recovery period. That's when we made an appointment to meet with Dr. Claus Roerhborn and I chose to undergo the robotic procedure. There's actually a standard non-robotic laparoscopic procedure which specifically involves making a series of small incisions in the abdomen and manually operating the instruments that allow surgeons to see inside the abdominal area in order to dissect and remove prostate tissue. For the robotic, the surgical robot is called da Vinci ® [Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA] and provides the surgeon with magnified 3D vision and miniature articulating robotic instrumentation. Robotic means that the tools are controlled with (you guessed it) robotic controls rather than with the surgeon's hands alone. Think of it as playing a video game with a controller - but in the operating room!
Studies now make diagnosis and survival probability more predictable with the Prostate Nomogram, which helps physicians and patients decide on the best treatment and which will result in the greatest benefit. After you receive a positive diagnosis for prostate cancer consult with your urologist about the nomogram and Gleason Scoring System, which is used to grade how far prostate tissue is from normal, healthy tissue. Samples taken during your biopsy are taken to a pathology lab where they are viewed under a microscope and tissue samples are graded on a scale of 1 to 5. The number 1 is for cells that look almost normal (slow growing cancer) and 5 is for cells that are least like normal prostate cells. Grades 2 to 4 are in between. My Gleason score was 3+4, which had a positive probability for early detection and survival. For more information and to have access to an online prostate nomogram calculator/prediction tool, visit this page of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and after reading the information, click on "open calculator." You can only benefit from this calculator after being diagnosed with prostate cancer and getting a printout of your biopsy report.
Part Five: The Right Perspective
The next three months are a time of growth - mentally and, most important, spiritually. A dear sister got my information from a former pastor of Christian education at my church. She called and talked with me and the wife and began to encourage us. She is a cancer survivor herself and said something that I'll never forget. She shared how many who go through experiences like this ask the question, "Why me?" She said the real question, especially for the Christian, is "Why not me?" Who am I that I should have a perfect life with no worries, problems, trials, etc.? There are many who go through various issues, even beyond cancer. Am I better than them because of my faith in God?
As I'm going through all of this, I'm thinking that if things are going well, even too well, that means that something's coming to challenge me and grow me to another level. Things like this happen to me to let me know how frail I am in my humanity and how dependent I am on someone much greater than I. Another reason why things like this happen is because of God's purpose in using us for His glory - and specifically for me to be used to help other brothers who are going through the same thing! That's the purpose for this blog!!!
I begin to read more Scripture to help me with the proper perspective on life to help me get through this and be equipped to be used to minister to others. I personally realize that real joy is identified when things are not good circumstantially but your heart is characterized with a peace that passes understanding! I slowly began to focus less on the cancer and more on the sovereignty, providence, and grace of CHRIST!
My time from the diagnosis to surgery is a great adventure of spiritual growth! To sum it all up: My life is nothing, but is everything in Christ alone!!!
As I'm going through all of this, I'm thinking that if things are going well, even too well, that means that something's coming to challenge me and grow me to another level. Things like this happen to me to let me know how frail I am in my humanity and how dependent I am on someone much greater than I. Another reason why things like this happen is because of God's purpose in using us for His glory - and specifically for me to be used to help other brothers who are going through the same thing! That's the purpose for this blog!!!
I begin to read more Scripture to help me with the proper perspective on life to help me get through this and be equipped to be used to minister to others. I personally realize that real joy is identified when things are not good circumstantially but your heart is characterized with a peace that passes understanding! I slowly began to focus less on the cancer and more on the sovereignty, providence, and grace of CHRIST!
My time from the diagnosis to surgery is a great adventure of spiritual growth! To sum it all up: My life is nothing, but is everything in Christ alone!!!
8.06.2007
Part Four: The Verdict
One week later, I'm back in the waiting room of Dr. Mason's office. My name is called and I'm taken to one of the rooms to wait. As I sit there with my wife, I'm pondering thoughts of prostatitis because I don't want to hear the "c" word. I'd rather it be just an infection and have a bottle of antibiotics to pick up at the pharm.
Ten minutes go by - and then there's the knock on the door. In walks Dr. Mason who sticks out his hand to shake mine and he says, "You tested positive." "Positive?" I think to myself. "You mean positive as in 'good'?" No, he meant positive as I have prostate cancer! Fear and anxiety began to swell within me as he began explaining how he knows exactly how I feel since he experienced the same thing. Yes, you read right - Dr. Mason, my urologist is also a prostate cancer survivor!
As he began to attempt to comfort us and explain about the different surgical procedures, I gaze at my wife's eyes as they begin to fill with water and moisten her face. Being a guy, I'm holding back as much as I can as I feel a growing fear within me. We then make arrangements to meet with Dr. Mason again and head home. As my wife and I talk during the ride, all I could think of is her and the kids. I'm not a fatalist, but this kind of experience can make you one - even in the least bit! When we arrive home, I head upstairs to our walk-in closet where we have a small easy chair. I closed the bathroom and closet doors and sat down. And that's when I lost it! Man, I've never felt that way ever in my life. I felt so drained of strength, emotional and physical, that I just stayed there for the next hour or so shedding almost endless tears.
Later, after my wife fed the kids, she came upstairs and entered the closet. She asked me how I was doing. I broke down again. Then she broke down with me. We cried together and believe it or not that was the first step in getting my strength back. I will go into more details about this on a later post, but there is nothing like having the right, specific wife to be by your side and in your life!!! In His providence, God gave me the exact person that I need and He strategically planned it that way! My road to recovery began way before surgery. Because of her, I found out bit by bit that there was more to prostate cancer than I thought. She soon began to exhaust our internet service by doing tons of research on surgical procedures, nutrition, cause and prevention. But remember, God's divine providence is quite active in our lives and keeps unfolding right before our very eyes!
Ten minutes go by - and then there's the knock on the door. In walks Dr. Mason who sticks out his hand to shake mine and he says, "You tested positive." "Positive?" I think to myself. "You mean positive as in 'good'?" No, he meant positive as I have prostate cancer! Fear and anxiety began to swell within me as he began explaining how he knows exactly how I feel since he experienced the same thing. Yes, you read right - Dr. Mason, my urologist is also a prostate cancer survivor!
As he began to attempt to comfort us and explain about the different surgical procedures, I gaze at my wife's eyes as they begin to fill with water and moisten her face. Being a guy, I'm holding back as much as I can as I feel a growing fear within me. We then make arrangements to meet with Dr. Mason again and head home. As my wife and I talk during the ride, all I could think of is her and the kids. I'm not a fatalist, but this kind of experience can make you one - even in the least bit! When we arrive home, I head upstairs to our walk-in closet where we have a small easy chair. I closed the bathroom and closet doors and sat down. And that's when I lost it! Man, I've never felt that way ever in my life. I felt so drained of strength, emotional and physical, that I just stayed there for the next hour or so shedding almost endless tears.
Later, after my wife fed the kids, she came upstairs and entered the closet. She asked me how I was doing. I broke down again. Then she broke down with me. We cried together and believe it or not that was the first step in getting my strength back. I will go into more details about this on a later post, but there is nothing like having the right, specific wife to be by your side and in your life!!! In His providence, God gave me the exact person that I need and He strategically planned it that way! My road to recovery began way before surgery. Because of her, I found out bit by bit that there was more to prostate cancer than I thought. She soon began to exhaust our internet service by doing tons of research on surgical procedures, nutrition, cause and prevention. But remember, God's divine providence is quite active in our lives and keeps unfolding right before our very eyes!
7.03.2007
Part Three: The Biopsy
Another week later and I'm back in Dr. Mason's office for the biopsy. I'm a bit nervous because I know what he's gonna do. Once I arrive in the room, I'm instructed by the nurse to strip waist down, lay on the table in a somewhat fetal position and cover myself with the sheet provided. Oh boy! I'm thinking, "I wonder if this will hurt - and how much?"
So, I lay there counting the seconds, or minutes, wondering when the doctor will come barging through the door, ready to inflict pain on me! He knocks and comes in and asks, "How ya doin'?" "I'm doing ok," I responded, with a lie. His nurse stands on the front side of me over a tray containing a few gadgets, 6 small glass containers and a long, long, long syringe! My eyes get pretty huge now! I ask the nurse about the 6 small containers. She told me that they are for the samples that the doctor will extract from my prostate. I pointed my finger at them and started counting. I said, "Six samples!?" She responded, "You should be glad - it's usually 12."
Ok, now the fun part. I'll try not to be too vivid here, but I want to describe the experience so brothers can know. If you don't want to know THEN STOP READING NOW!!! For the rest of you, take a deep breath and let's proceed.
The doctor sits in his chair and pulls over a small monitor which is used to view ultrasound images. He then sticks the camera (a long tubular device!) up you-know-where and stops right at the base of my lower intestine - right where my prostate is. This doesn't hurt - just uncomfortable! But, there's a slender, hollow tube connected to the ultrasound device. This is for the syringe (which is about a foot long - the needle part alone)!!! He gives me a local anesthetic shot right in the prostate!!! My eyes nearly popped out of my head. Mainly out of the shock because it wasn't excruciating, but it did sting. After the shot they asked me how I felt. I was fine, but then seconds later I felt a little light-headed. It didn't last long, though. Then comes the real fun part!!! Dr. Mason has a syringe/gun-like device that he inserts through the tube which extracts the sample. Now, I have to admit: Dr. Mason is a really nice guy through all of this. He describes to me every movement he has to make so that I'm not caught off guard. In his words, "Ok, you're going to feel a sting - then a pinch." He says this each time which is most helpful. My eyes squint with each sting, but the pinch is not too bad. By the way, I'm counting with each sting and pinch. When he finishes number 6, I'm about to sigh when he inserts the thing again!!! I tell him, "I thought you only needed 6!" He replied, "Nah, I need more than that. I just need 8 and I'm done." Well, that's not too bad. It's just 2 more.
Once he's finished, he and the nurse put everything away. The nurse has me sit up slowly and stands directly in front of me. She looks right in my eyes and asks, "How are you feeling?" Since I'm kind of crazy, I respond by saying, "I'm fine" and pretend to be passing out and then jerk my head back and say with a smile, "Just kidding!" She then looks at me and says, "No, I'm serious. We had a patient before who had the same thing done and as we were walking out to let him get dressed, he was laying flat on the floor. Are you sure you're ok?" Then I got serious and begin to analyze myself. "Yeah, I...I'm ok," I responded with concern. She walked out and I carefully got up and "cleaned myself" a bit and then got dressed. I was a little lightheaded as I was walking out with my wife, but I was fine. Dr. Mason told me to return for the next week to get the results.
It was a little uncomfortable riding home. I was obviously sore from the biopsy that lasted a few days. I was also alerted that any blood in the urine or semen was normal and would last a while. Now all I had to do was wait until next week for the verdict...
So, I lay there counting the seconds, or minutes, wondering when the doctor will come barging through the door, ready to inflict pain on me! He knocks and comes in and asks, "How ya doin'?" "I'm doing ok," I responded, with a lie. His nurse stands on the front side of me over a tray containing a few gadgets, 6 small glass containers and a long, long, long syringe! My eyes get pretty huge now! I ask the nurse about the 6 small containers. She told me that they are for the samples that the doctor will extract from my prostate. I pointed my finger at them and started counting. I said, "Six samples!?" She responded, "You should be glad - it's usually 12."
Ok, now the fun part. I'll try not to be too vivid here, but I want to describe the experience so brothers can know. If you don't want to know THEN STOP READING NOW!!! For the rest of you, take a deep breath and let's proceed.
The doctor sits in his chair and pulls over a small monitor which is used to view ultrasound images. He then sticks the camera (a long tubular device!) up you-know-where and stops right at the base of my lower intestine - right where my prostate is. This doesn't hurt - just uncomfortable! But, there's a slender, hollow tube connected to the ultrasound device. This is for the syringe (which is about a foot long - the needle part alone)!!! He gives me a local anesthetic shot right in the prostate!!! My eyes nearly popped out of my head. Mainly out of the shock because it wasn't excruciating, but it did sting. After the shot they asked me how I felt. I was fine, but then seconds later I felt a little light-headed. It didn't last long, though. Then comes the real fun part!!! Dr. Mason has a syringe/gun-like device that he inserts through the tube which extracts the sample. Now, I have to admit: Dr. Mason is a really nice guy through all of this. He describes to me every movement he has to make so that I'm not caught off guard. In his words, "Ok, you're going to feel a sting - then a pinch." He says this each time which is most helpful. My eyes squint with each sting, but the pinch is not too bad. By the way, I'm counting with each sting and pinch. When he finishes number 6, I'm about to sigh when he inserts the thing again!!! I tell him, "I thought you only needed 6!" He replied, "Nah, I need more than that. I just need 8 and I'm done." Well, that's not too bad. It's just 2 more.
Once he's finished, he and the nurse put everything away. The nurse has me sit up slowly and stands directly in front of me. She looks right in my eyes and asks, "How are you feeling?" Since I'm kind of crazy, I respond by saying, "I'm fine" and pretend to be passing out and then jerk my head back and say with a smile, "Just kidding!" She then looks at me and says, "No, I'm serious. We had a patient before who had the same thing done and as we were walking out to let him get dressed, he was laying flat on the floor. Are you sure you're ok?" Then I got serious and begin to analyze myself. "Yeah, I...I'm ok," I responded with concern. She walked out and I carefully got up and "cleaned myself" a bit and then got dressed. I was a little lightheaded as I was walking out with my wife, but I was fine. Dr. Mason told me to return for the next week to get the results.
It was a little uncomfortable riding home. I was obviously sore from the biopsy that lasted a few days. I was also alerted that any blood in the urine or semen was normal and would last a while. Now all I had to do was wait until next week for the verdict...
7.01.2007
Part Two: The Phone Call
Less than one week later from the free men's prostate screening at my church, I'm at work getting ready to go on to the State Fair with my fellow employees. It's one of those cool perks that we have that keeps us wanting to come to work! It's the best job that I've ever had (more about that later)!!!
As I'm walking to check on something before heading to one of the buses, my cell phone rings. It's the Methodist Hospital's healthfair coordinator, Tim Upshaw. He coordinates the screenings with churches and other organizations. He also makes the phone calls to the men regarding their screening results. Well, I was one of those who got the call from him this time. At this time, I'm really ignorant to a lot of the things that pertain to prostate cancer. But he proceeded to explain to me what I needed to know so that I wasn't in the dark about any of it and was trying to comfort me at the same time. Tim told me that my PSA numbers were higher than they should be. The normal PSA range is from 0 - 4 for men in general. It's 0 - 2 for African American men! My PSA was 7 (7.47 to be exact). A big chill went through me. Tim went on to say that it doesn't always mean cancer - and that it could just be an infection, or prostatitis, which is specifically inflammation of the prostate gland. This is treated with the right kind of antibiotics. Now my mind is thinking, "That's what I hope it is." Tim proceeded to inform me that I need to get to a urologist as soon as possible to find out for sure. He also suggested a real good urologist at the same hospital and gave me the name of one who is, in his opinion, the best.
Just as I'm about to call my "worrying" wife, she calls me. Tim called the house first so that explains that. She told me that I need to go see the doctor today!!! So, I went to the fair with my job and my wife told me that she would be picking me up at the front gate at a certain time. She was able to get an appointment for me later that afternoon. As she arrived at about 2pm and I walked to the front and hopped in the van. My wife asked me how I was feeling. I told her I was fine, but I was a bit nervous.
Well, we met with the urologist, Dr. R. Carrington Mason. After asking some important and routine questions, he told me that he wanted to check me for himself (the dreaded index finger!!!). Man, that was the most uncomfortable finger check that I ever had! I almost peed on the floor!!! Actually I did a little bit as I frowned in discomfort. He was a little rough, but his purpose was to be thorough. Like the doctor at the church screening, even he said that he didn't feel anything, although he mentioned that my prostate felt a bit spongy to him. Don't know what that means, but it was enough for him to say something about it. Dr. Mason then said, "We need to do a biopsy." Say what??? In other words, he needed to get some samples of my prostate so that they can be sent to a lab to run tests to see what's really going on. How was he going to do that? I found out one week later...
As I'm walking to check on something before heading to one of the buses, my cell phone rings. It's the Methodist Hospital's healthfair coordinator, Tim Upshaw. He coordinates the screenings with churches and other organizations. He also makes the phone calls to the men regarding their screening results. Well, I was one of those who got the call from him this time. At this time, I'm really ignorant to a lot of the things that pertain to prostate cancer. But he proceeded to explain to me what I needed to know so that I wasn't in the dark about any of it and was trying to comfort me at the same time. Tim told me that my PSA numbers were higher than they should be. The normal PSA range is from 0 - 4 for men in general. It's 0 - 2 for African American men! My PSA was 7 (7.47 to be exact). A big chill went through me. Tim went on to say that it doesn't always mean cancer - and that it could just be an infection, or prostatitis, which is specifically inflammation of the prostate gland. This is treated with the right kind of antibiotics. Now my mind is thinking, "That's what I hope it is." Tim proceeded to inform me that I need to get to a urologist as soon as possible to find out for sure. He also suggested a real good urologist at the same hospital and gave me the name of one who is, in his opinion, the best.
Just as I'm about to call my "worrying" wife, she calls me. Tim called the house first so that explains that. She told me that I need to go see the doctor today!!! So, I went to the fair with my job and my wife told me that she would be picking me up at the front gate at a certain time. She was able to get an appointment for me later that afternoon. As she arrived at about 2pm and I walked to the front and hopped in the van. My wife asked me how I was feeling. I told her I was fine, but I was a bit nervous.
Well, we met with the urologist, Dr. R. Carrington Mason. After asking some important and routine questions, he told me that he wanted to check me for himself (the dreaded index finger!!!). Man, that was the most uncomfortable finger check that I ever had! I almost peed on the floor!!! Actually I did a little bit as I frowned in discomfort. He was a little rough, but his purpose was to be thorough. Like the doctor at the church screening, even he said that he didn't feel anything, although he mentioned that my prostate felt a bit spongy to him. Don't know what that means, but it was enough for him to say something about it. Dr. Mason then said, "We need to do a biopsy." Say what??? In other words, he needed to get some samples of my prostate so that they can be sent to a lab to run tests to see what's really going on. How was he going to do that? I found out one week later...
6.30.2007
Part One: The Screening
Back in October 2006, my church (Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, Dallas, TX) announced that in honor of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month that they will be having another free men's prostate screening. They have this every year, but this one was "timely." My sweet, darling wife encouraged me to go and get it done!!!
Now, I've had my prostate checked about 3 times before, but only the digital way (that dreaded index finger). I know every brother can feel me when I say that is not a pleasant experience at all!!! But it's worth it as far as our health goes, right??? I've heard a few guys who say things like, "I ain't gettin' that done to me! Uh uh, no way!" But, that's foolish, especially when more and more men are getting diagnosed with it and their ages are getting younger (more about "age" later).
I went to the first room to give a sample of blood. I've never had to do that before for prostate screening. That was new to me. Then is was on to one of the classrooms-turned-clinic to meet with one of the doctors. After I got "fingered" (ouch), the doctor told me according to his diagnosis that my prostate felt fine. He said he felt nothing odd and no type of growth. That was a bit comforting to me! I drove home, feeling good, and told my wife the good news.
BUT, it wasn't over. Remember, I gave a sample of blood for the PSA test. I wouldn't know about that until about a week later...
Now, I've had my prostate checked about 3 times before, but only the digital way (that dreaded index finger). I know every brother can feel me when I say that is not a pleasant experience at all!!! But it's worth it as far as our health goes, right??? I've heard a few guys who say things like, "I ain't gettin' that done to me! Uh uh, no way!" But, that's foolish, especially when more and more men are getting diagnosed with it and their ages are getting younger (more about "age" later).
I went to the first room to give a sample of blood. I've never had to do that before for prostate screening. That was new to me. Then is was on to one of the classrooms-turned-clinic to meet with one of the doctors. After I got "fingered" (ouch), the doctor told me according to his diagnosis that my prostate felt fine. He said he felt nothing odd and no type of growth. That was a bit comforting to me! I drove home, feeling good, and told my wife the good news.
BUT, it wasn't over. Remember, I gave a sample of blood for the PSA test. I wouldn't know about that until about a week later...
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